ZINE #610 Dec/Jan 2013/14
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Out with the old,
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in with the new We turn on the heat for this double D-D-December J-J-January edition of ZINE
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Contents
chair/ “chairman” Page 8 events/ “great british ball” P article/ “petra & mecca”Page events/ “social friday” Page 3 article/ “ming dynasty” Page 3 interview/ “martin vesseur” books/ “december reads” Pag food/ “nick’s nosh” Page 48 food/ “lentil & ham soup” P property/ “renting” Page 58 arts/ “poetry” Page 62 events/ “burns night” Page 64
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Colophon >
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ZINE
EDITORIAL
34 Page 36
ge 42
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ISSUE #610
EDITOR IN CHIEF Alison Smith | editor@britsoc.nl EDITORIAL BOARD Ian Cherington | ifcherington@hetnet.nl Dave Thomas | info@nstranslations.nl John Richardson | webeditor@britsoc.nl
ADVERTISING
ADVERTISING SALES Zetterij Jan van den Berg | ieee25qr@kpnmail.nl
PUBLISHING
PUBLISHED BY John Richardson | JohnTheCopywriter.com FLIP MAGAZINE PUBLISHING PLATFORM www.issuu.com PUBLISHED ON www.wordpress.org
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEEDBACK Alison Smith | editor@britsoc.nl www.britsoc.nl/
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chairman’s blog/ Dear Members and Friends, And so the festive season is upon us! May I be the first to wish you all a great Christmas and a happy and healthy 2014.Our attention is now fixed upon the Christmas Ball on December 7th, and we are preparing another excellent evening of Michelin star food and the best entertainment. Ticket sales are going well, so if you intend to come, please book now to avoid disappointment. I hope to see you there. Once we have recovered, I am sure that we will be preoccupied with Christmas and all that goes with it, followed by the New Year festivities. Before the chaos starts, please make a note of the date for Burn’s night on January 18th. Save the date and more info will follow. Looking back to our last event, I am really pleased about how well our Bonfire Night party went. More than 500 people attended and enjoyed mulled wine, burgers and both kinds of bangers! Our attendance at the Expatica fair was successful, too. Rupert, David, Nick and myself manned our stand and we were quite an effective sales force, gathering 13 new members! Looking back further over the year, we have seen many changes - all of which are for the good, I am sure. Our website has become very effective and appropriate to our cause. It is kept up to date and looking good by John, who puts a lot of effort into it for us The Zine team can be hugely proud of their productions; creative, to the point and very modern. Thanks to Alison, John and Dave. Also deserving our thanks for the last year are Gillian for membership business and Kirsten, our secretary. I hope that they will both get even busier as our drive for members continues. My goal of creating more value for our members received 2 big boosts when British Airways joined our group of sponsors with great flight deals for us, followed by Tix.nl, who agreed reductions on travel packages. This is exactly the direction that I hope we will follow in the coming year and I look forward to presenting more successful partnerships and events to a growing number of happy members.
Ian Cherington Chairman chair@britsoc.nl
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Britsoc Chairman Ian Cherington attends the Remembrance Day ceremony, Amsterdam 2013 Page 10
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Remembrance Day: Lest we f Page 12
forget our fallen war heroes Page 13
The Great British Charity Ball just got better with Sponsorship from BA who have offered Business Class tickets to London. Page 14
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Starring:
The Dutch female Vocal Sensation Ann May
The Ball committee is delighted to have as our guest singer Ann May, the latest Dutch artist to follow in the footsteps of Anouk. Ann May has a wide repertoire and has already had a hit single in the Dutch charts “ Emergency” see www.annmay.nl. Since the ball is entitled The Great British Ball, we are promised something really special!
eTickets: www.britsocshop.nl Tickets are €105 for Britsoc members and €125 for non-members
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The Proceedings 2013 Welcoming reception Foyer St. Olof Chapel Raffle and Silent Auction for the Red Cross and CliniClowns
Entry to the Dining Hall Welcome Mr Mike Waters, Chairman CADS -‐ Master of Ceremonies
Say Grace Mr. John Cameron-‐Webb – British Consul & President, British Society of Amsterdam
First Course Performance Ms Ann May – Singer
Speech Mr. Ian Cherington – Chairman, British Society of Amsterdam
Main Course Loyal Toast to HM the Queen Winners Raffle Mr Mike Waters, Chairman CADS -‐ Master of Ceremonies
Dessert Coffee & Winners Silent Auction Dance the night away
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The Menu 2013 Menu prepared by Michelin-starred chef Christopher Naylor (drinks included).
Starter Menu Pumpkin mousse with sea buckthorn, Duck terrine with mango chutney, Beetroot gazpacho and yoghurt granite, Marinated salmon with horseradish and chives, Dutch prawns with a light curry and grapefruit. OR:
Vegetarian Table Platter Main Menu Choice #1:
Roast Turkey with Cranberries Served with:
Sprouts and walnuts, Glazed carrots, Roasted chicory, Celeriac puree, Watercress. Choice #2
Sea Bass Fillet Served with:
Sprouts and walnuts, Glazed carrots, Roasted chicory, Celeriac puree, Watercress. Choice #3
Vegetarian Pumpkin Risotto Served with:
Truffle and sage.
Dessert Menu Bread & Butter Pudding Served with:
Rum Raisin Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce. * When you book a ticket to the ball you will be sent a link and password to the menu order form that includes your seating preference.
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Oh! What to wear for the Christmas Ball? The BritSoc Christmas Ball is almost upon us once again and I already hear my girlfriends asking, “What are you wearing? Long or short? Buying or rental?” The theme this year is Red, White and Blue so it could be the most colourful Ball we’ve had as everyone strays from their usual LBD (that’s Little Black Dress for those who don’t read womens’ magazines !) and splashes into full colour mode. If you don’t have anything in Union Flag colours, why not accessorize with something red, white or blue, or all three. Here are some suggestions where to buy, rent and accessorize. Accessorize on the Leidsestraat is handy and not expensive for clutch bags and hair accessories, including simple tiaras. They even have a union jack clutch bag for € 65,=
amazon Red, white and blue men’s accessories are available on www.amazon.co.uk . Just type in ‘Union Jack accessories’ and you’ll find bow ties, braces, cufflinks and cummerbunds. Or why not go for the Union Jack waistcoat? Bear in mind that most items will take about 6 days for delivery to NL.
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Arranging a long dress in Amsterdam Renting For rentals, there are a couple of good places in Amsterdam ladies can choose from a range of long dresses. The most famous
Maison van den Hoogen Sarphatipark 90 1073 EB Amsterdam 020 679 8828 www.maisonhoogen.nl We have rented dresses from there before and they offer a good selection. Men can also get fixed up with a tuxedo there (see next page for men’s choices). Opening times are rather limited, so worth noting : maandag / vrijdag: 9.00 - 18.00 donderdag: 9.00 - 20.30 zaterdag: 9.00 - 16.00
If you fancy buying a dress there are lots of options. A good place is Robin Uitgaansmode on the Amstelstraat 23, 1017 DA Amsterdam, situated near to restaurant FLO underneath the Best Western Eden Hotel. These are not for rent but are not so expensive. http://www.promdresses.eu/ Peek & Cloppenburg also have a good selection of inexpensive long dresses for sale. Go to the first floor of their branch on Dam square where they have decent long and short gala dresses. They also sell very reasonably priced tuxedos which almost come in at the same price as a rental. Whatever your choice, hope you have a great time at the Ball! Alison Smith
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Arranging a dinner jacket in Amsterdam Dinner jackets can be bought at: Tip de Bruin Nieuwendijk 82-‐90 1012 MR Amsterdam 020 6249402 www.tipdebruin.nl
Dinner Jackets can be hired at: Maison van den Hoogen Sarphatipark 90 1073 EB Amsterdam 020 679 8828 www.maisonhoogen.nl
Huyer Weteringschans 153 1017 SE Amsterdam 020 -‐ 623 54 39 www.huyer.nl You need to take some form of ID with you when you go to rent.
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The history of the St. Olof Chapel This year’s ball will be held in the beautiful St. Olof Chapel which carries a rich history which we would like to share with you.
History of the St. Olof Chapel The chapel is located in a part of town whose history dates back to the 15th century. This area was once water until rich merchants decided to fill it in and thus created a new stretch of land which became the dockyards of Amsterdam. Its tar trade, which was an important product to waterproof ships in those days, blossomed especially in the 16th and 17th century.
Loooooong history The chapel itself has a long history, which is intertwined with the history of the city of Amsterdam. The city of Amsterdam came to life in the 12th century, and one of the new gates to the city was named the Olofs gate. It was located next to the site where the St. Olof chapel was later built.
St. Olof : patron saint of the Norwegian sailors The St. Olof chapel was built along the ‘Zeedijk’ in 1440. In those days a considerable amount of Scandinavian trade came through Amsterdam. Its name therefore deriving from Saint Olof, the patron saint of the Norwegian sailors. In 1644, an extension was built and merged with the neighbouring Jeruzalem Chapel, which was originally a chapel for crusaders returning from the holy land. There were multiple entrances to the chapel and one would use these according to class and status. One famous regular visitor to the church was the Dutch seafarer and national hero Admiral Michiel de Ruyter. During the 20th century the chapel was used as a reformed church, an exhibition space and a weekly cheese market.
Sold to the hotel for 1 Guilder
In 1988 the chapel was going to be demolished. Luckily it was bought by Golden Tulip Hotels for 1 Guilder and completely renovated. It’s now part of the Barbizon Palace hotel adjacent to it, connecting the two buildings underneath the Zeedijk through a tunnel.
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Lost and forbidden cities Petra and Mecca in Leiden
Photos Petra: http://www.rmo.nl/actueel/persinformatie/gerti-bierenbroodspot
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arts review/
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“
And then I saw Petra… it was like s more… it was like a very slow prog archaeology, architecture and mytho into another space (that of a large p of the unconscious mind.” Gerti Bier
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arts review/
Photos Petra: http://www.rmo.nl/actueel/persinformatie/gerti-bierenbroodspot
stepping into my own paintings, and gress of stepping into metaphors of ology and tried to capture and put piece of rice-paper) these phenomena renbroodspot Page 27
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And then I saw Petra...
Credits:
Text: Dave Thomas.
Lost and forbidden cities
Petra and Mecca in Leiden
Leiden is just 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam and now has two ‘must see’ exhibitions.
P
etra, Wonder in the Desert is at the Museum of Antiquities until March 2014. It portrays the history and archaeology of Jordan’s famous hidden city, which Hollywood immortalised in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
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What made this exhibition for me was the retrospective of paintings by Dutch artist Gerti Bierenbroodspot in Petra Revisited. She spent ten years there, helped with various archaeological digs and could paint wherever she wanted in the city. “ And then I saw Petra… it was like stepping into my own paintings, and more… it was like a very slow progress of stepping into metaphors of archaeology, architecture and
mythology and tried to capture and put into another space (that of a large piece of rice-paper) these phenomena of the unconscious mind.” Gerti Bierenbroodspot Petra is the classic lost city. Mecca though, arouses curiosity because it is a thriving but forbidden city. Unless you are a Muslim of course. What draws Muslims to Mecca? What do they do when they get there? And how does the pilgrimage to Mecca change their lives?
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It was like stepping into my own paintings... metaphors of archaeology, architecture and mythology
arts review/ Longing for Mecca at the National Museum of Ethnology gives a unique glimpse of Muslims and Mecca. For example, the Palestinian Muslims who are temporarily granted Jordanian citizenship to go on the Hajj. And, to my surprise, there are some very honest film clips: annoyance about the taxi drivers in Mecca out to make a quick bob or disgust at the ‘pilgrims’ from Indonesia who stock up on souvenirs in Mecca to make a tidy profit back home. Personally, I was most struck by the ‘before’ and ‘after’ videos: individuals speak candidly about why they are going on the Hajj and afterwards about how it had changed them.
L
Longing for Mecca Until 9 March 2014 At National Museum of Ethnology, Steenstraat 1, Leiden Exhibition open Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 17.00 Cost: Adults 11 euros, children (4 to 12) 5 euros, children (13 to 18) 8 euros, Museum card free Combi-ticket for both exhibitions (can be purchased at either museum) 18 euros
Photos Mecca: http://www.rmo.nl/actueel/persinformatie/gerti-bierenbroodspot
Exhibition details Exhibition: Petra, Wonder in the Desert When:
Until 23 March 2014
Location:
At Museum of Antiquities, Rapenburg 28, Leiden
Open times: Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 17.00 Cost:
Adults 12 euros, children (5 to 17) 5.5 euros, Museum Card 2.50 euros
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www.hardrock.com/amsterdam Page 30
santa claus is coming to town
Join us for our annual BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Saturday 14th December & Sunday 15th December Doors Open 10:00am - 11:30am Event Ends
€13.95 per person - Children aged 2 and under eat for free All children receive a small gift from Santa while the whole family enjoys a buffet breakfast. For reservations email amsterdam_ sales1@hardrock.com or call +31 (0) 20 523 7611 Reservations are mandatory. For Private Breakfast with Santa Events starting from 20 persons contact amsterdam_ sales1@hardrock.com to receive your offer.
amsterdam ®
join hardrockrewards . com
/hardrockcafeamsterdam
/hrcamsterdam
/ max euweplein 57- 61 / 1017 ma amsterdam +31 20 5237625 Page 31
©2013 Hard Rock International (USA), Inc. All rights reserved.
Social Friday Fr
| @The Tara 21 http://www.thetara.com/nld/
Friday 13th Dec, 2013 & Friday 10th Jan, 2014 No attendance list or Britsoc membership required—so just show up! Sean Jansen
http://www.britsoc.nl
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rom 1:00
|
events/
Venue: Rokin 85-89, 1012KL Amsterdam Trams: 4,9,14,16,24 and 25 tramstop Rokin. Contact: Tracey Taylor Email: socialfridays@hotmail.com
This venue is a well known bar amongst the expats.
This Irish bar has an interesting variation of rooms mixing from a trendy modern bar to the classic leather armchair corners and fireplaces. We will meet in the far end of the pub where the rear/ back bar area is exiting to the Nes backstreet entrance. Look out for us near the bar wearing a bright pink scarf. Social Fridays is a great opportunity to meet new people or catch up with friends - all welcome.
No attendance list, so just show up!
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Catch a glimpse of the Ming Dynasty
Vaas met pauwen en pioenrozen. Blauwwit porselein, 1436-49 © Nanjing Museum/ Nomad Exhibitions
Credits:
Text: Dave Thomas. Photos: De Nieuwe Kerk
More than vases
Ming in De Nieuwe Kerk Paying homage’ to one of Imperial China’s most famous dynasties.
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f you enter this former house of Christian worship on Dam Square before 2 February 2014 you will catch a glimpse of the Ming Dynasty. Where more than 2000 guests gathered on 30 April 2013 for the inauguration of the new Dutch king, you can now ‘pay homage’ to one of Imperial China’s most famous dynasties.
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The Ming Dynasty rose to power in 1368 and was initially a traditional feudal empire that gathered taxes in the form of produce. The Ming emperors ruled over a society based on the teachings of Confucius. This arrangement very much suited the ruling class, scholar officials, as Confucian teaching reinforced their status. However they often used their privileges to feather their own beds. Court intrigues limited the power of the semi-divine emperors who
lived estranged from the outside world in the Forbidden City (a 3-D printed model of the city is on display). Scheming to one side, this elite class had to appreciate and be skilled in the intricacies of calligraphy, poetry and painting. Several works of art on display include beautifully calligraphied poems. Although many paintings in the exhibition portray beautiful women, the lives of these ladies were far from pretty. Women had three so-called followings (duties):
“
Skilled in the intricacies of calligraphy, poetry and painting, several works of art on display include beautifully calligraphied poems.
arts review/ they had to obey their father, their husband and their son. However by doing this, women formed the bedrock of Ming society. They ensured the continuing prosperity of the family in a changing world. And change it did over the course of the Ming era. Trade grew in importance and the tax system evolved from collecting produce to collecting coins. Paper money was briefly experimented with on several occasions but failed to maintain its value. The increasingly rich merchant class wanted to flaunt their wealth of course. Much to the consternation of the scholarly elite, they started purchasing paintings and these transitioned from being erudite artistic expressions to valuable commercial commodities. Special guides were even produced for the merchants to steer them through the finer details of Chinese art.
Ming art was far from prudish, as a series of erotic paintings displayed opposite the monument to Michiel de Ruyter (the Dutch equivalent of Lord Nelson) show. Shocking for a church, but such explicitness was not a problem for adherents of Confucius. Eroticism was not considered to be a sin and young people actually studied these pictures together as a means of preparing for married life later. De Ruyter epitomises the strength of the Dutch navy in the Golden Age. Such naval prowess in many European countries went hand-inhand with aggressive trade. The hierarchal Ming society failed to adapt to the times. As it waned, its prized porcelain, which only the richest Dutch could afford, inspired the production of Delft Blue. The Dutch continued where the Chinese left off.
Vierkante wierookbrander met deksel. Cloisonné-email, koper, 1449-57 (?) © Nanjing Museum/Nomad Exhibitions Exhibition details Exhibition: Ming. Emperors, artists and Merchants in Ancient China When:
Until 2 February 2014
Location:
De Nieuwe Kerk, Dam Square, Amsterdam
Open times: Daily from 10.00 to 17.00 Admission:
Tang Yin, Fluitspelende vrouw. Inkt op zijde, 1470-1524 © Nanjing Museum/Nomad Exhibitions
Adults 15 euros, children (0 to 5) free children (6 to 16) 5 euros,
Museum Card 3.5 euros, I Amsterdam City Card free.
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interview of the month/
Amsterdam-based author Martin Vesseur M.H. Vesseur (1963) is a communications creative focussing on the latest influential techniques. In his career he has won many awards. Since 2002 he works independently with his partner as ‘Vibes for your brand’ (Vibes voor je merk). In the past decade he has published many short stories in literary magazines in the Netherlands, Belgium, USA and Canada.
www.mhvesseur.com
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“
Where did your Carl Pappas character come from? In one hour sitting in the woods. Dave Thomas
Have you always had an urge to write? Ever since I was 10 years old. I discovered a comic (with the text underneath) by Marten Toonder in the newspaper and that did something to me. Is it true that good writers have to read a lot? For me personally, the answer is “yes”. I do believe, though, that there are some successful writers who instead of having read a lot are inspired by their hectic lives (travelling all over the world, meeting many people, etc.) What are your ideal writing conditions? Solitude. That can be: 1) a room without people 2) a park or a forest 3) a situation where I am left alone (although that is my least favourite). I don’t have any other specific needs. I can write for one hour or for two days
in a row, whatever time slot is available. But the key is discipline. You must be able to put your writing first and exclude the disrupting influences and endless other things you could choose from. Banish keuzestress. ‘No’ is a vital word. You started out with short stories. Can you remember the first one you published? I do remember my first story called “You Don’t See Many Women These Days” being published. But from the moment I took my writing seriously: “Burning Neil Armstrong” and “Babyface Junkie” in 2002. I had reached a point in my life as an advertising creative where I realised I was only doing stuff on behalf of others and nothing genuinely creative myself (few advertising types do). I wanted to >> Page 37
interview of the month/
do something autonomous without deadlines, the need to earn or any other pressures. I wanted to be creative in its purest form: to tell short stories on paper just for the story’s sake. What persuaded you to switch last year from short stories to the short novel format, your current Bizz Jockey Carl Pappas series? I wanted to get on the independent publishing train and to quote from Jim Henson’s “The Dark Crystal”: ”Everything is in conjunction”. I had the right creativity, my advertising business was in a favourable position and the technology platforms had become mainstream. I had done a try-out of the crime format about five years earlier and that was in the back of my head. Although I had many more short stories to tell, none of them were related. For the first time I wanted to tell something funny that I liked and which would interest the average reader like my father, brother or neighbour. I wanted a storyline with some good characters that I could develop over a series of stories. I wanted to keep my autonomy but engage with an audience and the “new publishing” world would allow me to do that. So in a nutshell I was up for a challenge and the window of opportunity was there. Bizz Jockey and crime solver Carl Pappas. Where does your inspiration for this character come from? I sat down in the woods and came up with that in one hour. I wanted to do a crime series with a regular main character. I didn’t want to come up with another police inspector. That was Rule number one. Rule number two was: it HAS to be a character/setting that will inspire me for a long time to come. It was clear within no time that it had to be a disc jockey because during my childhood and teenage years I was a total radio fan. I listened to the radio every day after school, and large parts of the weekend — it was always on in the background while I wrote or made drawings or did my homework. DJs were my heroes. You must understand that in those days, the 1970s, we didn’t know what the DJs looked like. We didn’t have any gossip magazines in the house and in general DJs were faceless people. I thought the radio studio was the most adult, funny and mysterious place you could be in. And Carl Pappas is a bizz jockey because that opens up far more story lines than just a DJ. It also allows me to vent one of my favourite topics, economics. I’m fascinated by how the world economy controls so much of our lives while at the same time being a monster we cannot control. Your Carl Pappas series is neither a short story nor a novel. Why? There is a clear niche between the 200 to 300 page oversaturated novel market and the more specialised short story market. I wanted to write a well-developed novel in 100 pages. Entertaining, thought provoking but not too long a read. My experience of writing Japanese Kalibtia (palm of the hand stories) years ago was useful here. They are just one or two pages in length and tell just the absolute essentials. I have honed the technique of a novel without any flab. As Vangelis once said “be precise about what you are saying as an artist”. >>
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SPECIAL OFFER FOR READERS OF ZINE: “CEO Groupie” —the first crime novel about Carl Pappas, the “radio detective”, written by M.H. Vesseur— can be downloaded for only £ 1 (down from £ 2.91) on 29 November 2013 at Amazon.co.uk.
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Can you briefly describe the flavour of the Carl Pappas series? It’s short and funny (many crime novels are humourless) less violent and explicit than a lot of crime novels and it has a message. Carl Pappas is a man with a mission: he delivers serious critique on worldwide business attitudes. Each story is a self-contained adventure that explores a theme and unfolds various aspects of the recurring main characters in the series. And which audience is it aimed at? To be honest that’s for the audience to decide. I began with male readers, with an interest in business, who like a short crime read while they’re on a plane but without having to dumb down. But I sneekingly suspect that Carl Pappas and his sidekicks appeal to women as well. It’s really too early to tell. You have self-published three Carl Pappas novels so far and you’re currently working on a fourth. Why did you choose the self-publishing platform? It gives me the freedom to build my own audience, without the pressures that a normal publisher feels. I believe in this series, I believe there’s an audience for this. Is self-publishing really as easy as one, two, three? No way! I have never worked so many hours as in 2013. With enough time you can master all of the technical aspects. What I find most difficult despite all of my experience in advertising is harnessing social media. How can I use social media to build up an audience and convert that into book sales? That really is a long haul and you can never be sure how it will work out. How hard was it to get your books on Kindle? Time was my biggest hassle. I spent an awful lot of time on the web finding stuff out. The first e-book I put together in the system Scrivener took me an entire Sunday plus several more evenings in the following week. Now I can format the final product in less than two hours. So basically it is a case of practice makes quicker. I can honestly say that Scrivener is one of the best investments I’ve made.
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How are you using social media? The basic idea is: my website (with blog), my Amazon Author page, and then Twitter. Early on I picked up some valuable tips from bestsellerlabs.com. For example, you must focus on one thing at a time on social media and not overstretch yourself or set your expectations too high. Be careful not to derail yourself or
your efforts will lead to a “social media train wreck”. Choose a channel that works for you. Doing nothing is better than doing something for the sake of it. And if you don’t know what to do then experiment carefully. And you need to be structured. Not just write on a whim and see where it goes but be focussed in your writing, publishing and publicity process. Prioritise and focus. Be purpose-driven as opposed to inspiration-driven. Keep the good and ditch the trash. And for social media there are plenty of tools to manage your content. I use an app called Buffer to time my tweets to followers in different time zones. It has superb stats. It tells me about the number of favourites, retweets and replies each tweet gets.
And how are you developing this further? My aim is to build up 500 followers on Twitter over a period of 18 months. There’s a very enthusiastic crowd of writers and readers out there. I now have 400 followers after 10 months. Right now 80% of my Twitter interaction is about gaining knowledge and trying to get a rapport with well-known authors who might one day promote my books (asking for recommendations no longer works). Just 20% of my followers are my potential audience of readers. I ‘ve recently added Pinterest to put more of a face to my main character Carl Pappas and I am thinking through how to develop my website more. Is the feedback from your audience shaping the Carl Pappas series? Not yet, it’s early days. But critical friends and acquaintances like the formula whether they are keen readers or not. Your books are listed on Amazon now. Are Amazon author friendly or was getting there a struggle? I’m an Amazon fan. They’ve really made everything incredibly easy for me. That goes for CreateSpace too (tool for paperback publishing). I’ve not had a single hiccup with them.
What’s next with Carl Pappas? I’m just finishing the fourth book in the series and the last page I will explicitly ask readers to give their feedback. Then my next move is to make audio versions of the books I’ve published so far. Doing that will help to establish me as a serious author. You’re a real film buff. Which is your favourite film and why? I’ve got two. On a personal level it’s “Blade Runner”. The combination of Vangelis for the music, Harrison Ford (my favourite actor) in the main role, Ridley Scott as the director and the story from the novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” by Philip K. Dick. No computer-generated imagery. It’s a film noir classic. But as an author my answer is “Dr. Strangelove, or how I loved to stop worrying and love the bomb.” Kubrick faced the challenge of writing a film about the horrors of the atomic bomb. Yet he struggled to make something so ghastly look horrifying. His stroke of genius was to let go of his initial instinct, look at the problem from a different perspective and then to go for it. He decided to turn the issue on its head and make a funny film. And he pursued his goal with absolute single-mindedness.
Favourites: Food: AIndian cuisine Music: Simeon ten Holt (modern classical) Place: Woods and shifting sand dunes Book: The Day of Creation by J. G. Ballard (powerful and surreal) TV Show: Tegenlicht. A disruptive investigative journalism programme on Dutch TV Amazon author page: www.amazon.com/author/mhvesseur Twitter: @MHVesseur
Communications website:
www.vibesvoorjemerk.nl
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December Books Beth Johnson recommends....
A bit of something for everyone this time! I have just discovered a jewel of a small publisher, Pushkin Press in London. They primarily republish forgotten treasures from around the world. A lost Russian classic by Gaito Gazdanov, The Spectre of Alexander Wolf, (€ 11.50) recounts how a man comes across a short story which is a detailed summary of how this man killed a soldier, long ago – but it is written from the victim’s point of view. So begins the strange quest for its elusive writer, presumed dead - Alexander Wolf. A manylayered psychological thriller and examination of the concepts of guilt and redemption, fate and coincidence, love and death.
Beth Johnson is the owner of Boekhandel Van Rossum (Beethovenstraat 32 in Amsterdam) which sells a wide range of Dutch and English books. Page 42
www.boekhandelvanrossum.nl
I was also thrilled to discover... Antal Szerb
Journey by Moonlight
Paperback Published by Pushkin Press Pushkin has also released an English translation of Antal Szerb’s Journey by Moonlight (€ 12.95), published in 1937 in Hungarian. This is the story of Mihaly who “loses” his bride at a provincial Italian train station during their honeymoon trip. With humor and skill, Szerb sends Mihaly on a bizarre journey to Rome where the various elements of his past come together and force him to choose his fate. A masterpiece which probes bourgeois civilization. Elizabeth Gilbert
The Signature of All Things Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love (not my book) has written a splendid book about Alma Whittaker, born in 1800 onto the cusp of the modern age. The daughter of an enterprising vagrant in Kew Gardens who builds a fortune on the basis of his eclectically garnered horticultural knowledge and his strict Dutch wife, Alma demonstrates a thirst for knowledge which assures her an independent position in the world of plants and science. The Signature of All Things (€ 17.95) moves around the globe and is peopled by unforgettable eccentrics of all sorts. It is a big novel about an increasingly enlightened century.
As it is Sinterklaas and Christmas is a’coming, I have included one children’s book tip and one Young Adult/crossover Rebecca Stead
Elizabeth Wein
Liar and Spy (€ 9,95) by Rebecca Stead is a favourite here in Boekhandel van Rossum – also in Dutch translation. Georges has just moved to a new flat and his parents are busy settling into their work. With time on his hands, he joins his neighbor’s Spy Club and begins to track the mysterious Mr. X from upstairs. But how far should you go to secure your friendship? The book is exciting and moving, with a special, deeper message. Rebecca Stead won the Guardian Kids Fiction Award with this book for nine to eleven-year-old readers.
For teens and adults, a quite amazing World War II tale of women pilots and spies. Code Name Verity ( € 11.50) by Elizabeth Wein is a fiendishly plotted mind game with unexpected twists and turns which will leave you reeling! I’m not telling anymore.
Liar and Spy
Code Name Verity
Happy Holidays!
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AMSTERDAM INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL INVITES YOU TO A FUN FAMILY OPEN DAY
Saturday 25th January 2014 9:30-12:30 Learn make how to no a volca
(No sign up needed but you can email us for the exact schedule)
oes What d nity commu ser vice & n o i t ac mean? Prinses Irenestraat 59 1077 WV Amsterdam Tel: 020 577 1241 E-mail: j.iyoyo@aics.espritscholen.nl
Meet our s teacher
c Cerami op worksh
Have fun with maths International Education for children aged 4-19
w w w . a i c s . e s p r i t s c h o l e n . n l
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Tr y our n ver y ow tch Quiddi
ISA campus, main entrance
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Setting the stage. At ISA, we believe that great facilities can set the stage for great learning. ISA is housed in a space specially designed for international education. And inspiration. Our facilities include a four-floor library/media center, a 400-seat theatre, science labs and specialist studios for music, art, and drama. More than 400 computers are joined in a school-wide, online network. Students work with laptops and iPads in the classroom. Two state-of-the-art gyms, discovery oriented playgrounds and adjacent playing fields are large, well equipped and secure. ISA’s campus is not a luxury. It’s where ideas are born.
Exciting and developing young minds Sportlaan 45 - 1185 TB Amstelveen - The Netherlands - Tel. +31 20 347 1111 - www.isa.nl
Taste Life!
Kingsalmarkt, the world-famous foodstore! We are known for our wide range of products from countries all over the world. ‘Taste life’ is what we call that. Visit us for your favourite American cornflakes, brownies and soups, British jams and honey, Mexican tortillas, Spanish tapas and ham, Italian coffee and pasta and French cheese. Of course you can pick up the rest of your groceries too.
Rembrandtweg 621, 1181 GV Amstelveen-noord, tel. 020 643 37 51 www.kingsalmarkt.nl info@kingsalmarkt.nl Easily reached by car (free parking) and public transport (5 or 51 tram to Kronenburg) Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9 am – 6 pm Saturday: 9 am – 5 pm
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Internationally Ambitious A modern approach to study that inspires independent learning - helping every student open the door to an exciting and fulfilling future.
www.britishschool.nl Page 46
Internationally British
British Language Training Centre
bltc
English & Dutch Courses Teaching English (TEFL) www.bltc.nl Tel. 020 622 3634 40 years of graphic experience All graphic and printing services Professional assistance with all your printing demands Or teliusstraat 362hs, 1056 PV AMSTERDAM Tel: 020 6275025 / 06 27305428 E-mail: ieee25qr@kpnmail.nl Member of The British Society of Amsterdam
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Contact: nicksnosh@hotmail.com
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NICK’S NOSH
Britsoc food correspondent Nick Nugent Reporting from the four corners of the Amsterdam kitchen De Wandelaar
&samhoud|places Page 49
De Wandelaar
I
f you have ever been to a wine tasting in Amsterdam the chances are that it will be one from Jarrod’s company TJ’s Cellar Door such as the one held jointly last summer with Britsoc. Jarrod is a New Zealand lad who came over to Europe on a Cricketing tour with the Zealand A side but somehow never managed to leave. After a tour ended in the UK he decided to spend some time in Amsterdam, met a girl and 11 years and 3 kids later he finds himself remaining in Amsterdam. TJ’s Cellar Door is famous for promoting NZ wine. I think most of us will have had a glass or two of NZ Sauvignon Blanc which is now world famous and one example which Jarrod stocks, Astrolabe, is a particularly fine example. Jarrod with business partner Jens have come together to bring the Netherlands the best of what NZ has to offer in the form of artisan cuisine and fine wine in their new venture, De Wandelaar. Jens is from the north island and Jarrod from the south which means they pretty much have the whole country covered. Jens also has a Dutch wife and 2 kids.
I asked Jarrod to show me something from NZ which I would not know about and he pointed out the Manuka honey which is made from nectar only coming from the Manuka tree. There is some evidence that this honey has some antibacterial properties. I also asked about NZ lamb, which is also world famous, but at the moment they are concentrating on the wine and other products. The store grand opening, which was held on the 9th November, attracted circa 300 guests, so there is plenty of buzz heading into the festive season. The opening ceremony for the Wine Cellar was performed by the NZ ambassador, his Excellency George Troup. With an estimated 4,000 New Zealanders in the Netherlands, Jarrod should have a plentiful supply of customers looking for a taste of home. I am sure the rest of us would like to get hold of some very decent Sauvignon Blanc too and try this miraculous honey!
Jarrod grew up in Marlborough which makes up 62% of the vineyard area in New Zealand and is of course the place were Sauvignon Blanc wines mostly come from. His grandfather was a publican and I understand his father is also now a publican in Hokitika. He grew up near the Zephyr vineyard which is where he told me he learned his love for wine. So he is definitely from the right place to understand about NZ wines. The shop based on Jacob Obrechtstraat in the Oud Zuid is a multi-functional space in that it can offer you the fine taste and flavours of NZ, plus in the downstairs area, which is the “Wine Cellar” Jarrod will run wine masterclasses and workshops. Then, at the back on the terrace, they have by far the biggest Weber stainless steel barbeque I have ever seen to host barbeques all year long. They will stock the most comprehensive NZ wine portfolio in Europe covering all wine regions and varieties as well as stocking NZ’s most expensive wine. Inside the shop the majority of the materials have been sourced from NZ and there are highlights such as the huge table downstairs. The interior display area is fashioned on NZ sheep sheds and displays the produce well. They aim to give you the best produce, whether it is biological, organic or just plain tasty.
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By Nick Nugent
https://twitter.com/DeWandelaarNZ
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&samhoud|places I
have been to a few 1 Michelin star restaurants in my time as it is a trend I started a few years ago for one of my big birthdays. I have carried on this tradition as so far it has provided wonderful food along with entertainment. This is now my 3rd Michelin restaurant in Amsterdam in as many years and my first 2 star. I have had some really super experiences, the highlight being La Rive last year, which was fabulous food and entertainment. La Rive has 1 Michelin Star, &samhoud|places has 2. This place came from nowhere and when the stars were announced in November 2012 everyone sat up and took notice. The question on my mind was how much better should 2 stars be than 1? The chef, Moshik Roth, has gone down the molecular gastronomy route to obtain his two Michelin stars. After training under Jannie Boer (Librije) he opened his first restaurant ‘t Brouwerskolkje in Overveen which gained 1 then subsequently 2 Michelin stars. He closed that restaurant to open &samhoud|places with entrepreneur Salem Samhoud last year. Moshik frequently visited the Alsace region of France, in particular the restaurant L’Arnsbourg, where the owner and head chef, Jean Georges Klein, excels in this food technique and it is these trips which inspired him to go down this route. Samhoud seeks to create a marriage of classical and molecular gastronomy and their slogan is “usual, unusual.” The restaurant is very chic, with great city views if you are early enough to bag the right seats on your table. The kitchen dominates the centre of the room and you can see the larger than life chef wandering around and checking on things as he commands the pass. We were seated at the long bench against the wall which, if you are facing the wall, your night is not as interesting as for those looking into the restaurant. As it was my birthday, my girlfriend and I took turns to have the more interesting seat. Inside the lighting is discreet and the chairs are extremely comfortable with a light brown velvety texture to them. On the whole it is a very nice place to be and not overly stuffy. You can choose the menu to the style you wish. They have a 4 or 7 course tasting menu which costs € 129.50 or € 169.50 euros respectively, or you can take à la carte. We decided to do a bit of both, since amongst the 7 courses there were things which we could take or leave . We decided on the 4 course option plus one of the à la carte
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***
dishes. Additionally we took the wine pairing option which cost another 60 euros each. It was my birthday after all! Our menu looked like this: AMUSES Crêpe suzette, north sea crab Couscous, free range chicken, salted lemon Bonbon, herring, beetroot, green apple The perfect egg, boletus, parmesan MENU Anna Gold Oscietra Caviar / Scallops Mer et Terre TURBOT Turbot on the Bone / Paris Mushrooms Sauce Coquillage / Risotto Acquarello Inspiration of Joan Miró / Venison Red Cabbage / Macaroon Cheese Platter from Abraham Kef The turbot main course was the à la carte dish we inserted into the 4 course menu. Since there is so much to describe here I will give only an overview of the dishes. The complexity of some of these dishes is so high that I would need the whole Zine just to get you there. The first 3 amuses all came together and they were little taste explosions. The mini crepe suzette with crab, was so orangey it felt like having a fresh orange in your mouth. I could not really taste the crab however. The other two dishes were pretty good, but really could not compare to the crepe, although the sweet potato chip with a salsa on top which they served, not mentioned on the menu, was like a lime bomb going off in your mouth. This course was served with Vouvray which was a nice one and had all the elements of the chenin blanc grape with the slight honey notes. The next thing which came in was the perfect egg. This could be classed as a signature dish which apparently is cooked at 63°C for one hour. This dish is so full of umami that my mouth just kept watering as I ate it. It was teamed with raw, very thinly sliced bolatus mushrooms and parmesan which just added to the umami overload. It was really super. The egg was served with a Pinot Gris from Alsace which had a slatey, dry quality and really matched perfectly.
By Nick Nugent
The next course was the scallops and caviar. The sliced scallops sat as a thin layer on the bottom of the plate in a perfect circle, I think they were raw, but I forgot to ask. They were paired with a line of caviar directly across the diameter of the scallops and right next to it another line of sour cream like delicious rail tracks of flavour. On one side of the line was savoury jelly and on the other a savoury beetroot ice cream. To use the football analogy this was definitely a plate of two halves. The side with the jelly was great. The side with ice cream was not so nice as it was too sweet to go with all the other sweet things on the plate. The wine served was a Riesling which had the an oily quality to go nicely with the seafood on the plate. Riesling is not my favourite wine so I was struggling to enjoy this one as much as the previous glasses. The next thing to arrive was the turbot which was cooked on the bone and served with a seafood risotto. I love turbot, it is my favourite fish in the world and I was really looking forward to it and to having it cooked this way. The top was seared off with a great colour, underneath the fish was sat in the sauce. We shared one portion between 2 of us and the first thing which we noticed was that the fish was really difficult to prise from the bone. In fact close to the bone it was bordering on raw. Nevertheless with a fish of this quality you can get away with this. The seared side was much better than the side sat in the sauce as you really needed the caramelised flavour to set off the fish. The seafood risotto was great but I wanted more of it. Overall this dish was a bit of a miss for me and to make matters worse the sommelier picked a Macon which I thought was way too dry and acidic to go with the buttery fish. I said I would have liked a Pouilly Fume or something like this to go with the fish. He looked a bit upset about this. The venison main course was a real picture, having been inspired by Joan Miro! It was served with a little savoury macaroon which contained liver and chocolate. This was a mindboggling combination which delighted and confused the taste buds all in one go. The two little slivers of venison were, for me, not enough, even as a tasting menu. The rest of the elements on this dish accompanied the venison nicely, apart from the quinoa which did nothing for the dish and the salsify puree was a highlight. This whole dish did not really achieve the level I was expecting for the 2 Michelin starred reputation. The huge 14.5% red wine to accompany the dish from the Alicante region of Spain also did not go. I believe venison
needs a softer wine to bring out the delicate nature of the meat. This wine bulldozed through the whole show, but after the reaction I got from my last comments I was not going to say anything else. Apart from the crazy macaroon this was unfortunately another miss for me. We switched the dessert course for a cheese platter as I am not fond of coconut which was the main component of the dish and also in general I don’t go for sweets. There is nothing to get wrong with the cheese from Abraham Kef, as those of you who have read my review last month will know! We chose 5 from the 8 or so they had on offer. This was also a bit stingy on choice for me for a cheese platter. There was a great Stichelton cheese available which is close to a Stilton but made from unpasteurised milk. The cheese platter was served with a Coteaux du Layon which is a sweet white from the Loire. I would have preferred a port and in fact I got a small one to go with the last of the Stichelton. We ended the evening downstairs in the lounge area with a cocktail. I have to say that one of the really disappointing things for me was the service. Please do not get me wrong, it was miles superior to most restaurants in Amsterdam. I did however keep having to ask for things. At a similar Michelin star place I went to, as soon as we started looking around or looking a bit twitchy, someone would be at your side asking if you needed something. As soon as we sat down we got a nice glass of something, but then the menu’s did not turn up for what seemed like over 10 minutes. I like to be kept busy as this, for me, is entertainment and not just food and, since we are paying Rolling Stones front row ticket prices, I want to be entertained that much. The final example is that we asked for a cocktail upstairs. The aim was that by the time we went downstairs it would be waiting for us. Did they get this right? Unfortunately not. The bar staff had to come and ask again what we wanted! I was however shameless and told them it was my birthday and they did send me home with a chocolate cake which was a nice touch. It was pretty good. If you want the Michelin star experience then &samhoud|places is a pretty expensive way to start. Coupled with the serving experience and the dishes which were misses for me then I would consider starting somewhere else. If you have tried it before and want to have some occasional mindblowing taste sensations, then it is worth giving it a whirl!
http://www.samhoudplaces.com/ Page 53
Karen Vivers
Lentil and ham soup
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food glorious/
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food glorious/ K
aren Vivers, originally from Scotland, has lived here in Amsterdam since 1997, and has set up the Cooking Coach to help inspire people to get back into the kitchen. The basis of the cooking lessons are easy, tasty, healthy recipes. Each course starts with a free introduction session, to make sure that you only cook what you like to eat. As well as cooking lessons, Karen offers Culinary Tours in Amsterdam, is a passionate Food Blogger and works freelance as a Culinary Consultant, specialising in small and medium businesses, helping them get started, grow and deal with commercial challenges.
Lentil and Ham Soup
‘Hmmm, not very festive.’ I hear you say, and if I’m honest, I understand your doubts, mainly because I had them myself. I have thought quite a bit about which recipe to include in the December/January issue of Zine. It’s a big responsibility you know, making sure you have a helpful, tasty something to see you through the Sinterklaas, Christmas and New Year period. As I was deciding, I looked through my past entries. My first holiday recipe was for venison stew in 2010, in 2011 I went for mulled wine, and last year all the trimmings for your Christmas dinner. I hummed and hawed about the best strategy, should I go for something sweet? A trifle? A tiramisu? Mince pies? Or what about the classic, the perfect turkey? After much deliberation, I decided that you will probably be bombarded with various versions of the aforementioned recipes and so I went with my heart (or should that be my gut) and I chose my favourite winter soup. Why? What’s the Christmas connection? Well, I know the pressures on the cook around this time of year. I know how all those very well intended invitations that you extended to friends and family can all of a sudden feel a little overwhelming. ‘The more the merrier.’ Or ‘Yes, yes, just come back to mine and I’ll fix something for dinner.’ How often have I uttered these words (often after a glass of wine) and then ended up with a house full, only to then find myself peering into my fridge hoping for more ingredients and a good dose of inspiration. This is where my soup comes in. It’s not that the Lentil and Ham soup in itself is particularly festive, but, it helps the cook through the festive season. And, it makes everyone feel welcome. From the beginning of December I like to have “A pan of soup on the go.” During the last month of the year, it just feels that time gets away from me. No matter how organized I think I am, somehow, time runs out. I am so busy preparing food, preserving, baking, coming up with
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recipes and cooking for friends, that I often forget myself. After all that cooking for others, I often don’t feel like cooking for myself, but I do want something nutritious. So, my strategy is to make ham and lentil soup. More often than not, this takes place on a Sunday afternoon, I get it going, get my biggest soup pan out and start cooking. The soup keeps for about 4 or 5 days in the fridge and means that if I am feeling beat at the end of the day, I always have my soup. Not to sound too selfish, I don’t keep all that soup for myself. It’s great if you want to invite friends at the last minute. What could be more welcoming after a hard day shopping, or yet another drinks party (it’s a hard life!), to come home to a warming soup that always satisfies.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 1.5 hours, roughly Ingredients for 6 to 8 servings 1 x tbsp of olive oil 2 x medium onions chopped finely 2 x medium sized carrots (about 300gr / 10oz) chopped finely 1 x meaty ham hock (varkenschenkel) weighing about 700gr / 1.5lb 1.5 liter / 2.5 pints (U.K) / 3 pint (U.S) chicken or ham stock (vegetable is OK too) 2 x bay leaves 1 x tbsp fresh thyme leaves 200gr / 7oz yellow lentils 200gr / 7oz red lentils Salt and pepper To Serve (optional) 2 x slices of rye bread per person, sliced into strips, place some thinly sliced Ardennes or other cured ham on the bread (Serrano ham is great too).
Method
1. In a large pan, heat the oil and add the onion and carrot. Cover your pan and sweat the vegetables for about 5 to 7 minutes or until they soften a little. 2. Add the ham hock, stock, bay leaves, thyme, and a little salt and pepper to the pan, cover and bring to the boil. Make sure the liquid covers your ham, if not, just add a little water. Boil gently for about an hour or until the ham has cooked. 3. Add the lentils and cook for a further 25 minutes, or until the lentils have softened. The lentils can swell quite a lot and make your soup quite thick, so you may need to add some more water as, or after they have cooked. The soup should not be watery though, it is meant to be a meal.
food glorious/ 4. Once the ham and lentils are cooked, remove the bay leaves and the ham. 5. Strip the meat from the bone and rip or cut into bite sized pieces and return to the soup. 6. Check for seasoning and serve.
Tips and Variations
• If you leave the soup to stand for a while or overnight (which makes the flavour even better), you may find that it becomes thicker. Just add a little water and stir through before heating up. Be careful not to add so much water that you dilute the flavour as well as the consistency. • You don’t have to use two types of lentils, either one is fine. I just like the resulting colour that this mix gives. • Add salt carefully, as sometimes the ham can be quite salty in itself, so you may not need to add much.
diagnosed with a Binge Eating Disorder (B.E.D ) in 2003 and had lost and gained 100’s of kgs over her teenage and adult life. Karen realized that she had to face her fear (and her great love) – food - and take a whole new approach. This became the start of her successful and sustainable weight loss and the inspiration for her business “The Cooking Coach”. The book can also be downloaded to kindle and other E-readers and is compatible with tablets and smartphones as well as laptops and PCs.
Karen’s COOKING BOOK “Love Food, Live Healthy” is now available on Amazon.
Learn How to Cook the Healthy, Tasty Meals you WANT to Eat!
Karen has recently published her first book ‘Love Food, Live Healthy’ ,which is ideal if you want to eat more consciously or lose weight without compromising on flavour or your enjoyment of food. A very achievable, common sense approach to healthy eating and cooking. With over 150 no-fuss, contemporary recipes suitable for cooks of all skill levels. As well as the recipes in the book showing you what to eat, there is lots of information about how to eat to stay healthy.
The Cooking Coach
This book started life as a collection of recipes used by Karen to lose over 40kgs. Karen was
Mobile : 06 1424 0009 Email: karen@thecookingcoach.eu
Love Food, Live Healthy www.thecookingcoach.eu
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property/
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property/
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poets
corner White Poppy
I wear a white poppy in the rain. The weather refuses irony. Sometime between the rattle of tins and Armistice Day the sun no longer paints the fields of slain. It rains. I know the arguments. Bleed out the disingenuous flags, un-canonize the ‘fallen’. Take the apostrophe’s away. Strip war of everything that poets use to mitigate fierce light of peace, its cost, its pain. Yes, I say, I won’t wear red. I won’t allow those blazing fields to represent blood of the still forever dead and yet as the stiff recall of trumpets sounds, the heavy horses paw the ground I wear my poppy white and bow my head.
© Kate Foley 2013
Kate Foley & John Richardson Page 62
poetry/ It’s like
I ride the winged horse back to its stable and gently pull the reins We tiptoe backward through the morning mist into the stable and leave the door ajar We don’t scare it away It drifts towards us gently into the bringing into the full beam It’s still there Some feeling in the distance Some word yet to be I reach for my recorder I speak softly I’m in the half sleep Then I see it Fully formed The answer Yet, as I speak the door slams shut I can still feel it Teasing On the other side Like a postman holding a letter from the muse but he can’t find the letter box There’s a gentle knock but I don’t hear it I’m too awake And the day’s begun Without the answer © John Richardson 2013
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Burns Night Supper & Ceilidh
@The British School
Saturday 18th January
Tickets (Incl. 3 course dinner) are pre-paid in advance:
€25 (€35 non-members). €10 Children NO TICKET SALES AT THE DOOR Tickets: www.britsocshop.nl
NB Members discount applies immediately, if membership taken out).
Note the date in your diary and keep it free.
Our night is a celebration of the birth of the most famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns. Known best for writing the words to Auld Lang Syne, sung at New Year around the world, he was a prodigious poet from the 18th century, writing in lowland Jansen Scots onSean everything from the devil to his love life. Page 64
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From 18:45
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events/ Venue: British School, Fred Roeskestraat 94A, 1076ED Amsterdam
Live musical entertainment will be provided by John Cameron-Webb, his wife and a fiddler
There will be a traditional 3 course dinner, including haggis, tatties & neeps (potatoes and turnip). In the tradition of Burns nights everywhere, the haggis will be piped in, and then greeted with the Burns poem “Address to a Haggis”. Throughout the evening, there will be Scottish country dancing, led by Margaret Lambourne. Margaret is an expert teacher and all dances are taught up front, so absolutely no experience is necessary in advance. If you want to get a head start to be expert in time for the Ceilidh, then Margaret runs Scottish Dancing classes every Thursday during term time (contact margaret.lambourne@ziggo.nl) Last year was fast and furious, and for the first time, the Brits were outnumbered by other nationalities. Proving that you don’t need to be British to appreciate a Burns night. So why not give it a go? Please advise when booking whether you require a vegetarian option.
Look forward to seeing you there! Alison Fisher Page 65
activity/
Get into your stride before the Annual Burns Night Supper & Ceilidh
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BritSoc Scottish Country Dance Group Anthonie van Dijckstraat, Amsterdam
Thursdays in termtime 19:30 – 21:00
Cost 5 Euro per session
Would you like to meet people of all ages and backgrounds who enjoy music, dancing, and good company. No dance experience is necessary and partners are not required. It’s a great way to meet new people socially and keep physically active. Interested in trying Scottish Country Dancing?
It’s sometimes elegant; it’s often very lively; and it’s always lots of fun. Danced to the distinctive Scottish jig, reel and strathspey music, it’s good exercise, whether for your legs or your smile. Most of all, it’s social dancing, and it’s a great way to meet people. Because it’s done in a set with a partner, everyone dances with everyone else. So, if you are on your own - don’t worry, - there are always people waiting to dance with you. Come by yourself or with a friend. You do not need to be Scottish to enjoy the fun. Wear flat, softsoled shoes without heels(ballet or jazz type) not trainers and come have a good time. A kilt is not required! Cost is also a plus point. It’s a bargain at 5 Euros a session. What could be more of an incentive than that? Try Scottish Country Dancing. It’s aerobic, good for the body and mind.. and very social. Email: Margaret.Lambourne@ziggo.nl Page 67
eye spy on the way home/
Marks & Spencer at selected BP stations in NL
Marks & Spencer Food at BP Very exciting news. Marks and Spencers Food is available at some BP stations on the major motorways in NL. it’s not just sandwiches: Marks & Spencer Food at BP consists of about 700 very tasty products, including fresh ready-to-eat meals, delicious (fruit) salads, rich sandwiches sandwiches, refreshing drinks and various delicacies, such as scones and clotted cream.
Marks & Spencer Food is available at: BP Ypenburg, Laan van Hoornwijck, Rijswijk (regio Den Haag) BP Kadoelen, ring A10 Noord bij Landsmeer (regio Amsterdam) BP Lunetten, Lunettenbaan in Lunetten-Noord (regio Utrecht) BP Elsgeest, langs de A44 bij Oegsgeest (regio Den Haag} BP Oude Haagseweg, ring A10 West (regio Amsterdam)
For more info: http://bit.ly/1adHQxT
or M&S site: http://bit.ly/ImwoI1
Thanks to Grant Holton for this info.
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BritSoc Ski Trip Announcement
A number of British Society members have agreed to go on a ski vacation in Ischgl in Austria in 2014. The dates are:
February 15th until the 22nd, 2014. For further information: Look out in ZINE and on the Britsoc website Or if you want to sign up earlier, please contact:
Arie v. H. den Breems Email:
forthetimebeing@planet.nl
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Come on baby, light my Britsoc bonfire/ Page 70
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See the photographs online here: http://www.britsoc.nl/portfolio/bonfire-night-2013/
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I Am Not A Tou
Roll up! Roll up! Get your Britsoc Fridge Magnets here
OK! OK! I’ll throw in a full membership and a bunch of ripe bananas
Come on baby, light my Britsoc bonfire/ Page 76
urist.... honest/
What is Britsoc? I’ve got no idea. Ik heb geen idee.
Britsocians captured at the recent I Am Not a Tourist Fair Page 77
A blushing red hot chilli pepper
www.JohnTheCopywriter.com Page 78